Chapter 20
He didn't say the latter part of the sentence, but Ji Zhiqi understood it from his eyes.
Ji Zhiqi stared at him, feeling an unprecedented touch and shock in his heart.
Being in the flashy entertainment industry, he has seen too many people approaching him because of his fame, appearance, wealth or resources, with various purposes and calculations.
But no one has ever buried a feeling so deeply, prepared for so long, and cherished and protected it so carefully like Song Shiyu, unwilling to let it be tainted by the slightest utilitarianism and impurities.
Ji Zhiqi sighed, and that sigh was full of pity and a feeling of being cherished. He once again took Song Shiyu into his arms. This time the hug was tighter than any other time before, with clear tenderness and unquestionable confirmation.
"You know now that your love has never been a problem for me."
He lowered his head, and placed his lips close to Song Shiyu's earlobe. His warm breath brushed against the most sensitive area, bringing a slight shudder and conveying the most sincere confession: "It's a surprise."
It is also a kind of stability and warmth that he has never expected and belongs to him alone in his noisy and chaotic life where he is the focus of countless eyes.
Song Shiyu was in his arms, feeling this belated and extremely clear response. All the forbearance, waiting, anxiety and anticipation of the past three years seemed to have found a home at this moment and received the final redemption.
He closed his eyes, wrapped his arms around Ji Zhiqi's slender waist, and hugged him back tighter, as if he wanted to embed himself into the other's life.
"Ji Zhiqi."
"Um?"
"I'm not dreaming, am I?" There was a subtle hint of panic in his voice, which came from long-lasting desire.
Ji Zhiqi chuckled softly, the laughter vibrating from his chest, carrying a reassuring power.
"It's not a dream, Song Shiyu." His voice was firm and gentle. "From the moment you forced your way into my world, you can't leave easily."
**next day**
The next morning, Song Shiyu woke up due to the influence of his biological clock. He reached out his hand and touched the side, and it was cold.
Ji Zhiqi has already left. He recently participated in a music competition variety show and needed to travel to another place for recording.
Touching the place beside him that had lost its warmth, Song Shiyu couldn't help but smile on his handsome face. The smile emanated from the depths of his eyes, carrying with it the satisfaction and glow of a long-cherished wish being fulfilled.
He finally, truly possessed Ji Zhiqi.
After getting up, Song Shiyu quickly packed himself up and headed for the company.
Recently, his mother, Ms. Ruan, has almost completely let go and handed over all the company affairs to him, while she herself has taken Song Shiyu's father out to travel around the world.
Grandpa also returned to his old house in the countryside a few days ago.
For a moment, it seemed as if he was the only one left, but his heart was filled with another person.
After placing a stack of documents requiring signatures on the desk, assistant Xiao Cheng did not leave immediately as usual. Instead, he stood aside hesitantly, seeming to want to say something.
Song Shiyu raised his head from the documents, looked at Xiao Cheng, and asked gently, "What's wrong, Xiao Cheng?"
Xiao Cheng scratched his head sheepishly and said, "Um... Mr. Song, I'd like to take a few days off. My girlfriend and I... are getting engaged."
He knew that the company was in a critical period of handover and expansion, and Song Shiyu was extremely busy. It was really difficult for him to ask for leave at this time, but his family was pressing him and he could not delay such an important event in his life.
Upon hearing this, Song Shiyu immediately showed a sincere smile on his face: "Congratulations, Xiao Cheng! It's up to you to decide how many days it will take. Come back after you have arranged everything." He was happy for Xiao Cheng.
Xiao Cheng looked at Song Shiyu gratefully: "Thank you, Mr. Song!"
"Go ahead and share in your joy." Song Shiyu smiled and waved his hand.
After Xiao Cheng left, Song Shiyu continued to handle official business. He looked through the company's recent business report. The entertainment section achieved remarkable results, but the results of film and television investment were relatively poor. It seems that the strategy in this area needs further adjustment and deepening.
At this moment, his cell phone screen lit up. It was a message from Ji Zhiqi.
When I clicked on it, it was a photo - a selfie of Ji Zhiqi in the lounge. He tilted his head slightly, holding the limited edition headphones given to him by Song Shiyu in his hand. The background was a little messy, but his outstanding appearance and casual posture still made the photo particularly pleasing to the eye.
Song Shiyu's mouth corners unconsciously rose, and he replied: "So handsome." Then he tapped his fingers and silently saved the photo.
At this time, in the lounge of a variety show recording site in another place, Ji Zhiqi's condition was far less relaxed than he looked in the photo.
After sending the photo, he lay on the sofa with a pale face, his brows furrowed, and fine beads of cold sweat oozing from his forehead, as if he was in great pain.
Then, a violent cough that seemed to tear his chest apart suddenly hit him. He covered his mouth with his hands and trembled all over from coughing. When he caught his breath, he opened his palms and saw a glaring red.
"Brother Qi!" Assistant Xiaohua rushed in hurriedly after hearing the noise. When she saw this scene, her face turned pale instantly.
She skillfully and quickly found Ji Zhiqi's medicine, which was a special medicine for "idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis" - a progressive lung disease that is currently difficult to cure in the medical community and has a very poor prognosis. The patient's lung function will continue to decline irreversibly, as if the lungs gradually "fibrosize" and lose elasticity, which may eventually lead to respiratory failure.
The course of the disease varies from person to person, but it is undoubtedly a race against time.
Xiaohua handed over the water and medicine with trembling hands. Ji Zhiqi swallowed the pills with water, but his pale face did not improve immediately, and his breathing was still a little rapid and unstable.
Xiao Hua's eyes turned red when she saw him like this. She pleaded with a tearful voice, "Brother Qi, how about we withdraw from this variety show? At worst, we can just pay the penalty. If you keep wasting your energy like this... I'm scared..."
She didn't dare to say it too clearly, but the unfinished words were full of fear.
Ji Zhiqi loves the stage and almost burns his life under the spotlight, but his body...how long can it withstand the burning?
Ji Zhiqi shook his head weakly, his voice hoarse but firm: "It's okay."
Because tomorrow, he will be able to write and compose a song of his own, a song inspired by his secret and long-lasting crush and based on Song Shiyu.
He wanted to sing it to him on a formal and grand stage, even though he didn't know the meaning of the song at the moment.
Xiaohua wanted to persuade him again, but seeing the unshakable determination in Ji Zhiqi's eyes, all the words were stuck in her throat, and finally turned into a helpless sigh.
On the other side, Song Shiyu was looking at his phone. Ji Zhiqi didn't reply to the message. He thought that he was probably busy preparing for the recording, so he didn't disturb him.
He was looking forward to the broadcast of the show tomorrow, wondering what kind of performance Ji Zhiqi would bring this time.
The next day, Song Shi and Jun Shi sat in front of the screen to watch the highly anticipated singing competition program.
Ji Zhiqi was the third person to appear.
This time, he didn't play the piano, didn't pluck the guitar, and had no instrumental accompaniment.
He just stood quietly in the center of the stage, with a spotlight shining on him, as if he was isolated from the whole world.
He sang the song - "Hidden in Time".
The lyrics are like a blunt knife, slowly cutting open the listener's heart:
Like a shadow chasing the light, I silently measure/your every turn, every glance/I collect the scattered fragments in your eyes/and piece them together to form the three years I dare not speak of.
"The crowded streets, the pre-set 'chance' / Practiced a thousand times, brushing shoulders and exchanging pleasantries / The coffee cup remembers you, with a partial bitterness / Just as I remember all the details about you"
“It is the sobriety of a bystander, the indulgence of a monologue/In your world, I have the anonymous courage/Using the farthest distance to guard the closest heartbeat/Until the end of time, perhaps you will know”
“If the wind had a shape, it would be my gaze. If the clouds had a voice, it would be my longing. Forgive my cowardice, I only dare to hope in songs. I hope that one day you can hear this voice hidden in time…”
His voice is low and narrative, perfectly portraying the humility, restraint, sadness and endless tenderness of secret love.
The song is full of detailed portrayals and hidden emotions, which moved countless audiences at the scene and in front of the screen to tears.
The feeling of loving but not daring to get close, and thinking but not daring to express, has resonated with too many people.
Song Shiyu stared at Ji Zhiqi on the screen. For some reason, he felt as if he felt the same way.
He silently picked up his phone and added the song to his personal playlist, the playlist that belonged only to Ji Zhiqi.
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